Process of making shoes



Feb 18, 1930. F. E. BERTRAND 1,747,216

PROCESS OF MAKING SHOES `Filed Jan. 25, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet l 30 L n wv,'IH

Feb.`18, 1930. F. E. BERTRAND l 1,747,216

PROCESS oF MAKING sHoEs Filed Jan. 25, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 PatentedFeb. 18, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FREDERIC E. BERTRAND, 0F LYNN,MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, OFPATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY PROCESS OF MAKINGSHOES Application filed January 25, 1924. Serial No. 688,479.

This invention relates tothe manufacture of boots and shoes and moreparticularly to the preparation of shoes for the attachment of theheelsand to the attaching of the heels.A

In the manufacture of womens shoes, previously formed and completed woodheels are used very extensively. In order to secure a. neat andattractive appearance, it is desirable, as is well understood in theart, so to prepare the shoe that the upper edge of the attached heelshall closely engage the'shoe upper. Moreover, the heel must be sosecurely attached to the shoe that the very substantial strains to whichheels of this type aresubjected will not open up the joint be tween theheel and the upper.

To provide for snug engagement of the heel with the upper, since theattaching surfaces of heels of this type are commonly concave, it is thegeneral practice to form vthe heelseat portion of the sole of the shoeto correspond more or less exactly with this concavity in the heelitself. l/Vhere the heel to be attached is of the Louis type, a thinflap is first separated from the rear portion of the sole, this iapbeing later used to cover the breast of the heel. In heels of the Cubantype, the breast surface of the heel is covered before the heel isattached and separation of such a flap is not necessary. In either case,the heel-seat of the sole is `prepared for the reception of the heel bythe operation known as heel-seat fitting, which consists in removing aportion of the periphery of the heel end of the sole after it has beenattached to the shoe in such a fashion that the heel-seat surface isgiven a. convexity designed to correspond more or less exactly with theconcavity of the heel. In order to ensure ace curate heel-seat fitting,it is common practice for the operator to apply the very heel which isto be used to the shoe in the desired position 'and to mark the positionof the breastof the heel on the sole. This mark serves as a limit forthe fitting which must tory and desirable shoe can be manufactured if,prior to the attachment of the heel1 the heel-seat port-ion of the shoe,comprising the.r

inner and outer soles and thev surrounding and interposed portions ofthe upper materials, is molded to the exact shape of the concavity ofthe heel thereby to improve the joint between the upper edge of the heeland the upper of the shoe. This operation, however, has not beenreceived favorably by manufacturers because of the expense and timeinvolved.

In view of these facts, it is an object of the present invention toprovide a method of manufacture which will facilitate the performance ofthese operations preliminary to the attachment of heels in a mannerwhich will promote high-grade work without the sacrifice of speed oroutput. In the attainment of this object, the present invention providesa method by the practice of which the manufacturer is enabled t-oexpedite the production of shoes greatly and to secure the beneficialresults of the molding operation while avoiding, however, the troubleand expense incident to making the molding a separate operation. To thisend, considered in one of its aspects, the invention provides a methodof manufacture in accordance with which the particular heel which is tobe applied to the shoe is used as a mold to shape the materials of theheel-seat of the shoe by the application of heavy molding pressure-`and, thereafter, a suiiicient part of this pressure is maintained toprevent the resumption. of the 'original form and position of thevarious parts prior to the time when they have set in molded position.At the same time the shoe is maintained in condition to go forwardforsubsequent operations such as scouring, edge trimming, edge settingand securing the flap, etc. For this purpose, as herein exemplified, aclamp is applied through a hole formed in the last to hold the last andthe shoe and the heel in the positions which they have assumed undermolding pressure without interfering with access to the exterior of theshoe. Conveniently, one or both of the coacting parts of the shoe andthe heel are supplied with a suitable adhesive prior to the applicationof the heavy molding pressure, and then the clamping together of theparts in the fashion above mentioned serves also to retain the parts inposition while the adhesive is drying without prevent-ing ac cess to anypart of t-he exterior of the shoe.

In the attachment of a heel of the Louis type having a relativelyslender neck, it is weil understood that the application of pressure tothe heel through its tread face involves considerable risk of breakingthe heel. Moreover, it is by no means certain that pressure so appliedwill be distributed evenly. Accordingly it is an object of the inventionte provide a method by which the heel and the shoe may be forcedtogether under a very considerable pressure which will be ample to moldthe material to the heel-seat of the shoe but withoutl danger ofbreakage of the heel. This may be done by applying part of the moldingpressure through the overhanging breast extension of the heel andsupporting or applying pressure to the lateral faces of the heel towardthe rear thereof in such a manner that there is no Contact with thetread face of the heel so that the same is entirely free.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of part of a heel-seat fitting machineshowing the use of a heel as a templet for controlling the littincroperation;

Iig. 2 is a side elevation showing the use of the heel as a mold to formthe fitted seat of the shoe and novel apparatus for this purpose;

Fig. 3 is a view of part of the heel support at right angles to Fig.V 2taken on the line thereof and showing a heel in section as supportedthereby; and

Fig. 4 is a view showing part of an inside nailing machine forpermanently attaching a heel which has previously been used first as atemplet for the fitting operation and afterwards as a mold to form theheel-seat of the shoe.

In making shoes according to my novel method, as herein exemplified, aheel H pref erably is first used (as shown in Fig. 1) as a templet todetermine the extent of the rimming in fitting the heel-seat surface ofthe shoe; the same heel H is then used (see Fig. 2) as a mold to form orshape the heelseat surface of the shoe previously trimmed to conformclosely to the heel; the heel is temporarily clamped to the shoe. andthe last to hold them under sustained molding pressure; and the heel H(as shown in Fig. 4) is finally permanently attached to the shoe,preferably by inside nailing.

In using the illustrated apparatus to utilize the heel as a templet tocontrol the fitting operation, it may be placed on a support 10permanently secured to a bracket 12 extending forward from the frame ofone form of heel-seat fitting machine. The support 10 is formed with astationary abutment 14 in engagement with which one 4end 'of the seatsurface of the heel is placed. This abutment is in predeterminedrelation to the position of the knives 16 which make the finishing cutat the heel breast line of the shoe. The opposite end of the heel isengaged by a movable abutment or gage member 18' secured toa slide 2Owhich carries plates 22 arranged to seat in the rand crease of the shoewhile it is supported on a jack 24, and which also carries a gage 26arranged toengage the rear end of the counter portion of the shoe insuch a manner as to determine the position of the last and shoe withreference' to the breast lineknives 16 and also withy reference to theforward limit of the cutting movement of a trimming knife 28, thusdetermining the extent of the fitting operation on the heelseat surface.

In the operation of the machine shown in Fig. 1 a last and shoe'areplaced on they jack 24 and moved rearwardly into the machine as far aspermitted by gage 26, the position of which has been determined bymoving the slide 2() forward until the abutment 18 engages the heel H.It will be observed that the length of the seat surface of the heel ismeasured between the abutments 14 and 18 and that the shoe positioninggage 26 has been placed in a corresponding position with reference tothe breast line knives 16 and the foremost limit of the cuttingoperation of the trimming knife 28. During t-he operation of the machinea matrix roll 30 moves forward and depresses the central part of thesole of the shoe between the plates 22 leaving the waste material raboutthe periphery of the sole above the level of the plates. 22 so that itis split off from the central partl of the sole by the forward motion ofknife 28. This forms a horseshoe-shaped flap of Waste stock which isremoved from thel shoe by the breast line knives 16.

After the heelseat surface of the shoe. has been trimmed or fitted underthe control of the heel H used as a templet, the. heel is assembled onthe heel-seat of the shoev as shown in Fig. 2 and the heel and the shoeand last are pressed together under very heavy pressure so that the heelserves as a mold to shape the shoe materials in order more exactly toferm t ie heel-seat of the shoe in such a manner as to provide a veryclose jointWhic-h will not open up when the sh0e`is worn. lreferalrily,radhesive is supplied to one er both of the coacting surfaces of the shoeand heel prioi` to pressing them together so that the heel is at thesame time permanently attached to the shoe.

In order to prevent split-ting of the heel under this heavy pressure, Iprefer to support its lateral surfaces immediately below the edge of itsheel seat surface by padded supports 32 arranged to be adjusted towardand from one another for heels of different sizes by sliding in adove-tailed slot in a support 34 under the control of a. right and leftthreaded adjusting screw 36. These supports are angularly arranged withrespect to the longitudinal axis of the shoes so that they extend arounda part of the rear of the heel to support the same and prevent backwarddisplacement thereof. The support 34 is eX- tended forward and providedwith a toe support 38 which carries abutments 40 which prevent the shoefrom turning while a hole is drilled in the heel, and while a temporaryscrew fastener 42 is passed through a substantially vertical hole in therear end of the last through the shoe bottom into the heel, to clamp thelast and shoe and heel together to retain as much as possible of themolding pressure in order to prevent the shoe mate rials from springingback during the finishing of the shoe, so that the materials will setpermanently in molded position.

In order to prevent damage to the relatively thin breast extension ofthe heel and effectively to support the forepart of the heel, an arm 44is provided having a roll 45 padded with leather or rubber and arrangedto engage the outer surface of this breast eXtension. T his arm 44 ispivoted at 46 on the support 34 and urged against the heel by a spring48. Vhen pressure is applied, the padded roll carried by arm 44 seatsitself in the curve of the heel breast and through the spring 48 firmlysupports the heel at its breast end.

Pressure is applied to clamp t-he last and shoe and heel together by aclamp member 50 having a ball-andsocket mounting on the lower end of ascrew 52 with a relatively fine thread with low pitch. This screw 52 isprovided with a hand wheel 54 and is threaded within a quick actingscrew 56 having a relatively coarse thread of high pitch. The quickacting screw 56 has a hand wheel 58 and is operatively mounted in thebracket 60 on the frame of the machine. The preliminary pressure tobring the heel and .shoe into proper position is secured by rotation ofthe quick acting screw 56 through its hand wheel 58.

Molding pressure is applied through the lateral supports 32 to thelateral faces of the heel and through the roll 45 to the breast of theheel to force the heel against the heelseat of the shoe by turning thehand wheel 54 to tighten the screw 52. Because of its low pitch, Athiswill secure the desired pressure with a minimum of effort and cause therigid concavity of the heel to mold the interposed parts of theheel-seat of the shoe into a similar closely corresponding shape.

lVhile the last and shoe and heel are held under molding pressure by thescrew 52, a drill is passed down through a hole provided in the rear endof the last to form a hole through the bottom of the shoe into the heel,and a temporary fastener 42 is inserted and driven home to clamp thelast and shoe and heel firmly together', retaining most of the impartedmolding pressure, in order to permit the finishing of the shoe while theheelattaching adhesive is drying. This fastener is able to retain aconsiderable part of the molding pressure applied to the last and shoeand heel so that the material of the heel-seat surface of the shoe setsunder substantial molding pressure sufficient to overcome any tendencyto spring back. This retained pressure is, however, less than thepressure applied in the machine shown in Fig. 2 by an amount suficientto ensure that the heel will not split after the heel is withdrawn fromthe support of members 32 and 44 and before the fastening 42 is removed.This is possible by reason of the fact that a greater pressure isnecessary initially to break down and mold the shoe materials than isrequired to hold the materials so molded while they are setting.

After the molded shoe materials have set and the heel-attaching adhesiveis dry, the

last may be removed from the shoe and the heel permanently attached, asshown in Fig. 4, by holding the shoe and heel between a support 78engaging the shoe and a tread support 80 and rear support 82 engagingthe heel while nails are driven through the shoe bottom into the. heelby drivers 84 operating through holes in the support 78.

The heel-seat fitting machine shown in Fig. 1 may be, and is shown asbeing, substantially the same Vas the machine described and claimed inUnited States application Seria-l No. 498,7 52, filed September 6, 1921,by Frederick H. Perry, which application is owned by the assignee of thepresent application.

The heel nailing machine, part of which is shown in Fig. 4, may besubstantially as shown in United Sta-tes Patent No. 1,081,917, grantedDecember 16, 1913, on application of E. H. Tripp.

While my novel method ofV making shoes has been described as carried outby the aid of machines such as are illustrated in the drawings, invarious aspects the invention is not so limited and it is not myintention to limit the scope of the. invention otherwise l than by theappended claims..

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to securevbyLetters Patent of the United States is: i -7 1. That methodof makingshoes 'which comprises shaping the previously fitted heelseat of; a shoeby forcing the seat-surface of a heel against it; under heavy moldingpressure in such a manner as to form and shape the shoe materials, andtemporarily clamping together the heel, the shoe and a last in the shoeWhile leaving the exterior of the shoe unQbstructed so that it may befinished, the clamping being performed in such a manner as to retain themolding pressure, at least to the extent necessary to preventthe moldedshoe materials from springing back, until they have set in moldedposition.

2. That method of attaching heels to shoes which comprises applying aheel-attaching adhesive to one or both of the coacting shoe and heelsurfaces, molding the heel-seat surface of the shoe by holding itclamped under heavy molding pressure against the heel which is to becomea part of the shoe, and maintaining sufficient pressure to retain themolded position and shape of the parts. While the heel-attachingadhesive is drying, Without obstructing access to any part of theexterior of the shoe.

3. That method of making shoes which comprises shaping the previouslyfitted heel seat of a shoe, so that the same may conform more closely tothe heel to be attached thereto by forcing the entire area of the seatsurface of such a heel under heavy molding pressure against the heelseat surface of the shoe, holding the shoe and heel under sustainedmolding pressure without obstructing access to any part of the exteriorof the shoe, and permanently securing the shoe and heel together, withthe shoe in molded condition.

4. That method of making shoes which comprises shaping the previouslyfitted heel seat of a shoe'by forcing the seat surface of a Louis heelagainst it under heavy molding pressure in such a manner that part ofthe pressure is exerted through the forwardly extending breast extensionof the Louis heel, thus applying a heavy molding pressure suiiicient tochange the shape of the seat surface of the shoe to conform more closelyto the shape of the seat surface of the heel, and temporarily clampingtogether the heel, the shoe,

and a last in the shoe While leaving the ex-.

terior of the shoe unobstructed so that it may be finished, the clampingbeing performed in such a manner as to retain the molding pressure atleast to the extent necessary to prevent the molded shoe materials fromspringing back until they have set in molded position.

5,. That method of making shoes Which con sists in placing a heel inContact with the heel Seat. Of a shoe, applying heavy molding pressureto a last-in the shoe to cause the shape of the heel seat surface of theshoe to conform closely tot the heel sea-t surface of the heel, andsupporting both the forepart of the sole ofthe shoe and the QverhangngllO

